Steve Sikes Blog  

Decades ago I met a man about TEN years my senior who had come to the hospital to visit the same person I had. While we were waiting in the hall for our visit, he and I struck up a conversation. We exchanged names and occupations. It just so happened we were both preachers in the churches of Christ. His congregation met in a small building about TEN minutes outside of town. I told him I’d come visit him someday (which I did many times over the next TEN plus years).

I then asked “Larry” where he was from and he said “Texas.” I asked him where ‘bouts in Texas and he said, “You wouldn’t know where it was if I told you.” I encouraged him to go ahead and tell me. When he said, “Dodson, Texas” – I exclaimed, “I grew up about TEN miles from Dodson; we played them in high school basketball and baseball!” Amazing!

Larry and I struck up a close friendship that lasts till this day – not because we both grew up on the Texas/Oklahoma border, and not because we both preached. In fact, Larry’s church family didn’t believe all of the same things we did, especially about having Sunday School classes. But Larry was the epitome of unity!

Larry was the one who organized (about TEN times a year) the gospel preachers in our area to get together and read and discuss the Bible, pray and then eat at a local restaurant. In view of our differences, we grew in our unity!
Then one day I suggested to Larry that our congregations merge. I’ll always remember his response: “We couldn’t do that, Steve. You’d rob us of our freedom.”

Larry’s answer at first stunned me. Then I pondered the connection between unity in Christ and freedom in Christ. It’s Christ! United, yet: free in Christ to choose and differ; free in Christ to be and become; free in Christ to live abundantly (John 10:10)!

Happy 4th, Larry!

God is good all the time.
Mr. Steve